Active plastic bridge chips

Abstract

A system for proximity communication between semiconductor chips includes a package assembly. The package assembly includes a plurality of bridge circuits made of organic or plastic semiconductor material. A plurality of base chips are assembled to the package assembly. The package assembly positions and aligns the plurality of base chips such that the bridge circuits bridge the base chips and enable proximity communication between the base chips.

1. A system for proximity communication between semiconductor chips, the system comprising:
 a package; 
 a plurality of base chips assembled to the package; and 
 a plurality of plastic bridge chips assembled to the package; 
 wherein the package and the plurality of plastic bridge chips cooperate to position and align the plurality of base chips and the plurality of plastic bridge chips such that the plastic bridge chips engage the base chips to enable proximity communication between the base chips in the form of at least one of (i) capacitive coupling and (ii) optical coupling. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the package is made of injection-molded plastic. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein the plastic bridge chips are made of injection-molded plastic. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein the package comprises:
 at least one pressure clip arranged such that the plastic bridge chips bridge the base chips and are held in place by the at least one pressure clip. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plastic bridge chips comprises:
 a plurality of metal vias such that the plastic bridge chip provides power and ground connections to an adjacent base chip. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of base chips includes a linear array of base chips, and the plurality of plastic bridge chips includes at least one plastic bridge chip arranged to span across a base chip in the linear array. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of base chips includes a linear array of base chips, and the plurality of plastic bridge chips includes at least one plastic bridge chip arranged to bridge only a gap between adjacent base chips in the linear array of base chips, without spanning across a base chip. 
     
     
       8. A system for proximity communication between semiconductor chips, the system comprising:
 a package; 
 a plurality of base chips assembled to the package; and 
 a plurality of plastic bridge pressure clips arranged to hold the base chips in place, each plastic bridge pressure clip including a bridge circuit; 
 wherein the package and the plurality of plastic bridge pressure clips cooperate to position and align the plurality of base chips and the plurality of plastic bridge pressure clips such that the bridge circuits bridge the base chips and enable proximity communication between the base chips. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8  wherein the package is made of injection-molded plastic. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  wherein the plastic bridge pressure clips are made of injection-molded plastic. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8  wherein at least one of the plastic bridge pressure clips comprises:
 a plurality of metal vias such that the plastic bridge pressure clip provides power and ground connections to an adjacent base chip. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of base chips includes a linear array of base chips, and the plurality of plastic bridge pressure clips includes at least one plastic bridge pressure clip arranged to bridge only a gap between adjacent base chips in the linear array of base chips, without spanning across a base chip. 
     
     
       13. A system for proximity communication between semiconductor chips, the system comprising:
 a package assembly including a plurality of bridge circuits made of organic semiconductor material; and 
 a plurality of base chips assembled to the package assembly; 
 wherein the package assembly positions and aligns the plurality of base chips such that the bridge circuits bridge the base chips and enable proximity communication between the base chips; 
 wherein the package assembly further comprises: 
 a plurality of plastic bridge chips, each plastic bridge chip including a bridge circuit, the plastic bridge chips bridging the base chips; 
 at least one pressure clip arranged such that the plastic bridge chips bridge the base chips and are held in place by the at least one pressure clip. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of plastic bridge chips and the plurality of base chips comprise a positive feature/depression arrangement for aligning the bridge chips with respect to the base chips. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13  wherein at least one of the plastic bridge chips further includes at least one additional special function circuit made of organic semiconductor material. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 13  wherein the package assembly further comprises:
 at least one plastic bridge pressure clip, each plastic bridge pressure clip including a bridge circuit, the plastic bridge pressure clips being arranged such that the bridge circuits bridge the base chips and the base chips are held in place by the pressure clips. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 13  wherein the package assembly positions and aligns the base chips in a generally planar arrangement, and wherein at least one base chip is directly connected to more than two bridge circuits. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of base chips includes a linear and generally coplanar array of base chips.